Tax cuts for the rich is Liz Truss’s solution to all this, when what me and my dad really need is an action plan
- This article is part of the heat or eat diaries: a series from the frontline of Britain’s cost of living emergency
There’s nothing more I can do to save energy – we’re already frugal because we’re already poor. We already don’t leave lights on. We don’t leave devices on or plugged in. I’ll always put on a jumper instead of turning up the heating. When it gets to real winter, we have the thermostat set at about 13. We use hot-water bottles, blankets, jumpers, big socks. I don’t cook meals or have the oven on much – I’ll microwave noodles instead. My dad eats mainly cereal, as well as tinned soups, pasta – poor people’s food. I already only wash my hair once a week. I can’t go out any less. I can’t drink less, I barely ever drink now anyway. There’s nothing more I can give up at this point. I can’t live any less.
Right now my dad gets through about £15 a week of electricity. He doesn’t have any gas. His electricity is basically the kettle, the immersion heater and the telly. When winter comes, he’ll be using space heaters to keep warm. The insulation in his flat is terrible. When his neighbours use their washing machine, things fall off the shelves – the whole place is basically made of cardboard and bogies so it’s hard to keep it warm. If we’re looking at bills doubling or tripling this winter – £250 or £300 seems possible – I don’t know how he would pay it. The first thing he’d scrimp on is food – and he cannot lose any more weight. The next step would be for him to move in with me.
As told to Anna Moore. Siobhan is in her 30s and lives in the Midlands. Names have been changed
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